Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.338 RCM
Ruger and Hornady's compact .338 magnum — a beltless short-action cartridge delivering near-.338 Winchester Magnum ballistics.
- Caliber
- 0.338″ · 8.585 mm
- Introduced
- 2008
- Case
- Rebated
- Parent
- .375 Ruger
- Primary use
- Hunting
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2008
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Ruger / Hornady
- Manufacturer
- Hornady
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Limited
- Case capacity
- 74 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rebated
- Max pressure
- 65,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 350 yd
- Max range
- 800 yd
- Recoil
- 15–22 ft·lb
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Hornady Custom Superformance SST 200 gr, 2,840 fps, BC 0.290 G7 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2839 | 3579 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 2682 | 3194 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 2529 | 2840 | -3.3″ | -1.6 |
| 300 yd | 2380 | 2516 | -12.1″ | -3.9 |
| 400 yd | 2237 | 2222 | -27.0″ | -6.5 |
| 500 yd | 2098 | 1955 | -48.9″ | -9.3 |
| 600 yd | 1964 | 1712 | -78.7″ | -12.5 |
| 700 yd | 1833 | 1492 | -117.6″ | -16.0 |
| 800 yd | 1706 | 1293 | -166.7″ | -19.9 |
Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →
Performance
Buy links open .338 RCM ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 8.59 | 0.338 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.40 | 0.370 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 13.08 | 0.515 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 30° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 8.14 | 0.320 | ≈ |
| Case length | 51.18 | 2.015 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 72.14 | 2.840 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .338 RCM is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 19 active loads across 11 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 19 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady | Custom Superformance SST | 200 | SST Polymer Tip | 2,840 | 3,581 | 0.290 G7 |
| Ruger | Superformance SST | 200 | SST | 2,840 | 3,581 | 0.290 G7 |
| Hornady | Superformance SST | 200 | SST | 2,840 | 3,581 | 0.290 G7 |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade AccuBond | 225 | AccuBond | 2,650 | 3,508 | 0.278 G7 |
| Barnes | TTSX | 185 | Tipped Triple-Shock | 3,000 | 3,696 | — |
| Hornady | Custom Superformance GMX | 185 | GMX Solid Copper | 2,980 | 3,647 | — |
| Barnes | TTSX | 185 | TSX-BT | 2,900 | 3,454 | — |
| Doubletap | Lead-Free | 200 | Solid Copper HP | 2,850 | 3,607 | — |
| Hornady | SuperFormance | 200 | SST | 2,840 | 3,581 | — |
| Remington | Core-Lokt | 200 | SP | 2,840 | 3,581 | — |
| Federal | Premium | 200 | Trophy Bonded | 2,840 | 3,581 | — |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade | 200 | AccuBond | 2,840 | 3,581 | — |
| Sierra | GameKing | 215 | Soft Point BT | 2,810 | 3,769 | — |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade | 225 | AccuBond | 2,800 | 3,916 | — |
| Black Hills | Gold | 225 | Hollow Point BT | 2,780 | 3,860 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
3 reloading powders listed for .338 RCM, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .338 RCM
2 models in the database chamber .338 RCM. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed in 2008 by Ruger and Hornady for the Ruger Hawkeye compact bolt-action. The RCM used a rebated rim to fit a large case body on a standard magnum bolt face, achieving .338 Win Mag performance in a shorter, lighter rifle. Hornady produces factory ammunition in the Dangerous Game Series. The cartridge has found a following among Alaskan guides who prefer a lighter, more maneuverable rifle.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .338 RCM use?
- .338 RCM typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .338 RCM?
- .338 RCM uses a 0.338″ (8.585 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .338 RCM still in production?
- .338 RCM is active; typical availability is limited.
- What is .338 RCM used for?
- .338 RCM is primarily used for hunting.
- What is .338 RCM based on?
- .338 RCM is derived from the .375 Ruger case.
- What are the best powders for .338 RCM?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .338 RCM include Reloader 17, Reloader 19, IMR 4831.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 19 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →